HELP - Major TA Issue w/ Cancellation

[cynt]

Hello everyone, I need your assistance with this situation. Below are the emails that have been exchanged between the TA and myself. BLOT~The TA did not cancel the cabin when a couple in my group did not pay the balance of the deposit due in March 2005 nor the balance of the payment Due May 2005. Now the TA is claiming that we must pay a $200 cancellation fee per person for the room, $400 total. Like my email explains below I am not paying this because she had two opportunities to cancel the room and she did not. Thus she, the TA is liable for the cancellation fee. Someone please help me. Am I missing something? What can I do?

 

 

This is the email I sent today.

 

Ms. TA, I'm trying to understand this situation. Since they never paid the remaining $175 deposit when it was due why wasn't the room cancelled March 2005? Not only did they not pay when the deposit was due but they also did not pay when the balance was due. So why wasn't the room cancelled May 2005? You notified us on June 10, 2005 that $200 cancellation fee was due per person. Why are we just now being notified? I AM NOT PAYING A CANCELLATION FEE. Had you collected the $200 deposit on the room when it was due, March 2005 you could use that but since this was not collected how were you able to keep the room in the first place? I know Carnival requires that the deposit be placed on the room in order to hold it. If you used "creative" accounting to secure the room then you are responsible for payment of the cancellation fee. These rooms should have been cancelled when you did not receive the initial deposit on the date it was due per your contract or at the latest cancelled when you did not receive the balance.

 

You can contact me at xxx-xxx-xxxx to discuss further.

 

TA wrote:

Cruiser:

 

I have the email from you telling the ABC Family to call me. Well, someone need to go in their place or they need to come up with $400.00 toward your group. On 6.16.05 Carnival will charge 50% cancellation. Either way I go some one is going to have to send me $400.00 ASAP.

 

Please advise me what you want me to do?

 

TA

----- Original Message -----

From: TA

To: Cruiser

Sent: Friday, June 10, 2005 4:08 PM

Subject: cruise

 

 

Cruiser:

 

I called to cancel the ABC Family cabin. I was informed by Carnival that they will charge a $200.00 cancellation fee per person.

 

Can you find someone to take their place and let me know by Monday, otherwise by 6/16/05 it will be 50 % of the cost of the cabin. This cabin should be canceled before 5/10/05 when final payment was due.

 

 

I look forward to hearing from you.

 

Thank you,

TA

[KruznKel]

Well I all I can say is that you have until payment due date to cancel and receive your deposit back.. if they have not made a deposit why are they being charged cancellation.. you can not book a cabin on any ship without putting some money down????

[Cruising89143]

I have had my family groups on Carnival before and sometimes Carnival did not cancel the cabins that did not have the full deposit down by the due date due to the fact that some other cabins within the group had more money down than needed thus covering the cabins that did not. But your TA fell down on the job by not telling the group leader that he/she did not have the deposits needed on that cabin at the due date.

 

I suggest that you call your TA first thing in the morning and let them know that you want a three way conference with Carnival to get this corrected. Sounds like your TA is being a little shady here. I would not back down on this at all.

[cynt]

Thanks for your quick responses. I plan to call them first thing in the morning. I'll request the three way call w/ Carnival. I am so frustrated with this. She was a horrible TA. UGH!?!?!? Oh well live and learn. I didn't pay by credit card so I know she can't credit my account for the $400 cancellation fee. I'm still looking forward to my cruise and I'm not going to let this hiccup ruin things for me. Keep me in your prayers this evening better yet keep the TA in your prayers. LOL!!!

[jerseygirl3]

Is this a cancellation fee imposed by the TA? Some TA's do charge for cancellations. My husband became sick and was hospitalized, so we had to cancel a cruise this past March. The TA I used (an online agency) charged $150 cancellation fee, which by the way, is not covered by travel insurance. But everything else was covered by our travel insurance.

[Cruising89143]

Thanks for your quick responses. I plan to call them first thing in the morning. I'll request the three way call w/ Carnival. I am so frustrated with this. She was a horrible TA. UGH!?!?!? Oh well live and learn. I didn't pay by credit card so I know she can't credit my account for the $400 cancellation fee. I'm still looking forward to my cruise and I'm not going to let this hiccup ruin things for me. Keep me in your prayers this evening better yet keep the TA in your prayers. LOL!!!

 

No she can't charge your card BUT she can hold your cruise documents.

[elaineof6]

Are travel agents required to hold some sort of license or certification? If so, I'd keep track of all the documentation (emails, phone calls, notes from conversations, etc) and inform the travel agent that if she doesn't settle tis thing to your satisfaction, you will be going to whatever licensing or regulatory agency oversees her.

[I Luv Crusin]

I'm not sure if I read this correctly but the passengers never told the TA that they WEREN'T going, they didn't pay the rest of their deposit and final payment?

 

I would think that even if you had a partial deposit it's someone's responsibility to tell the TA explicity that the couple isn't sailing. What IF the TA cancelled the booking only to find out that the couple had a problem and were late getting payments in on time??

[tarps14]

Gotta say I'm with Lesley on this one. Had a situation w/ RCCL last summer. Alaska cruise with two other families. When final payment was put on my Amex, it went through twice. When corrections were made, they ended up crediting BOTH charges, so essentially we had no final payment on record. I had checked to make sure the charge went through, saw it and didn't think about it again until the statement came. It was two days after the first charge went through when the second cleared which incidentally was the next billing cycle. All credits were done in this next billing cycle. We didn't find out about this until two weeks before the cruise when I got my credit card statement. Checked with my TA and she confirmed my worst fears. She had not been notified of the lack of payment. Thank goodness, they had NOT cancelled the reservation and we were able to straighten it out immediately. To make my point (finally) the cruise lines do not cancel reservations simply because final payment was not received in a timely manner. Someone must physically call and cancel. It certainly would have been caught when documents printed. Does this mean I feel you should pay the cancel fee? First of all, it shouldn't be your responsibility at all but that of the couple that didn't cancel, but this is not a perfect world and unfortunately as group leader, you are held responsible. It very well could end with the TA holding documents until she gets payment as stated by the previous post. But that is why I would definitely have the three-way call w/ TA and CCL just to make sure that this is coming directly from CCL and not a shady TA. Let us know how this turns out as I am definitely curious.

[jimbug]

Okay, even if the ABC family did not explicitly tell the TA they were cancelling, the OP stated that it was in a contract that if they did not pay the deposit by x date, it would be cancelled. That, to me, as a consumer and as a business person, tells me that if I simply forego paying the deposit by x date, then my cruise will be cancelled. Why didn't this happen? If the TA was being "nice" by not cancelling, she should have followed up with the family or the group leader to find out if they were paying or not since SHE gave them the grace period. Now that it is to the cancellation period point, Carnival is requiring a $400 cancellation fee...Carnival will require it be paid, whether it comes from the TA or the family. (Unless alternate negotiations are reached.)

 

In my opinion, the TA slacked off by not following her contract. Perhaps she was being nice, but then she neglected to follow up and now someone owes Carnival $400, and she knows she will have to pay it if someone else doesn't. Please request that 3-way call with Carnival and get to the bottom of this.

[ElCruiso]

Perfect example of why you're better off to handle it yourself through a PVP.

Right from the Horses mouth. TA's very often tell you what they want you to hear and not always the Gospel. TA's are TA's to make money and that is their primary function, they deal with many people and can not always give you the one on one expediant service you may expect. I've cancelled cruises with Carnival directly before and had my deposit returned as quickly as 3 days. The fewer people involved the better, control your own destiny, too many people depend on someone else, you best know what you need and when.

 

:cool:

[serene56]

Your people did NOT put down a full deposit of 250.00 pp to hold a cabin?? How can they cancel something that wasnt finalized yet?

How can she charge you if it was your friends who got into this mess to begin with?

I'd be worried about what she can do to MY reservation.

[Cruising89143]

I'm not sure if I read this correctly but the passengers never told the TA that they WEREN'T going, they didn't pay the rest of their deposit and final payment?

 

I would think that even if you had a partial deposit it's someone's responsibility to tell the TA explicity that the couple isn't sailing. What IF the TA cancelled the booking only to find out that the couple had a problem and were late getting payments in on time??

 

It is the TA's responsibility to review the account. They're the ones that have to call the payment in to the cruise line. If the TA was up on their business then she should have caught this and made a phone call to the customer and followed up with the group leader. The blame is clearly on the TA.

[Cruising89143]

Perfect example of why you're better off to handle it yourself through a PVP.

Right from the Horses mouth. TA's very often tell you what they want you to hear and not always the Gospel. TA's are TA's to make money and that is their primary function, they deal with many people and can not always give you the one on one expediant service you may expect. I've cancelled cruises with Carnival directly before and had my deposit returned as quickly as 3 days. The fewer people involved the better, control your own destiny, too many people depend on someone else, you best know what you need and when.

 

:cool:

 

I have used TA's for many years and have never had this kind of problem. There are good TA's and bad ones just as their are good PVP's and bad ones. A PVP has never been able to meet my TA's price or level of service.

[SanFranBayCruiser]

Sounds complicated, I would absolutely do a 3 way call with Carnival, yourself and the booking travel agent!

[cynt]

Thanks for all of your input. I'm calling the TA today. Here's her latest response.

 

 

Cruiser,

I can not cancel a reservation until told to cancel. I have called them several times, left messages for to call me. No calls. I also spoke to someone in your group about them and she was going to call them. This is their responsibility not mine. If I would have canceled the cabin, they would have stated "you told you to" You at no time told me to cancel them until recently. That is when I found out the cancellation penalty.

 

I sent both of them invoices out lining the amount due in yellow. Still no answer. I have tried to do my part. They didn't.

 

Is there someone who can take their place.

 

TA

[gumdrop38]

My question is this...how could they have made thier reservation without a down payment???

It cannot be done....

 

If this is carnivals fee...............

 

If it were a group reservation and money was pooled ( 8 rooms).... names were to be to be announced....and she should have sent a letter out 2 weeks before explaining to your group when final payment was due in one week to make sure if A problem was there it could be handled.

 

When the payments came in and the payment wasnt there she should have then EXPLAiNED RESERVATION to gropu leader....this would be cancelled unless final payment arrives and explain payment 200pp so somone had time to work on it...

 

If then noone --responded.... then because of lack of payment...

IMO it should have been cancelled......

NOW.....if somone kept saying yes they still want to go...the person getting group together should have taken care of situation

[gumdrop38]

Can you find someone to take their place and let me know by Monday, otherwise by 6/16/05 it will be 50 % of the cost of the cabin. This cabin should be canceled before 5/10/05 when final payment was due.

 

Why wasnt it???

What happened to thier down payment that is what should be used...

[Guest nhrich]

Did you ask your TA where the money came from for the full deposit? Carnival had to get full deposit in order to hold the cabin with the passenger names. If the TA took it out of her pocket assuming they were still going, it's her responsibility.

 

Rich, ACC

Carefree Vacations

[Ericknow32]

It seems that the TA did some creative accounting and screwed you guys up. They probably took someone else's money and paid the down payment. that is how the down payment was made. If the TA did not check with you prior to doing so it is their fault.

 

PS What does PVP stand for. Its the only abbreviation that I don't know.

[dms_cruisers04]

PS What does PVP stand for. Its the only abbreviation that I don't know.

"Personal Vacation Planner", it's a Carnival euphemism.

[dms_cruisers04]

Question: when a TA reserves a block of rooms as a group, what type of downpayment, if any, is required by the cruiseline? I always thought that they weren't necessarily required to have money down, simply because it was a TA, until the TA had a client actually book. Thus a discounted rate from the TA booked as a group.

[waterrats]

Usually the penalty on cancellations is taken from any refund that the cruiser will receive. How can there be a 50% penalty when nothing was paid?

 

Sounds like the TA is making things up. Why can't a TA cancel a trip when final payment was due? Why would the TA be on the short end of the reservation. That isn't smart bookkeeping if you ask me.

 

It's interesting how the TA knows who didn't pay. How was the cabin still held?

[Bsan1221]

Hello everyone, I need your assistance with this situation. Below are the emails that have been exchanged between the TA and myself. BLOT~The TA did not cancel the cabin when a couple in my group did not pay the balance of the deposit due in March 2005 nor the balance of the payment Due May 2005. Now the TA is claiming that we must pay a $200 cancellation fee per person for the room, $400 total. Like my email explains below I am not paying this because she had two opportunities to cancel the room and she did not. Thus she, the TA is liable for the cancellation fee. Someone please help me. Am I missing something? What can I do?

 

 

This is the email I sent today.

 

Ms. TA, I'm trying to understand this situation. Since they never paid the remaining $175 deposit when it was due why wasn't the room cancelled March 2005? Not only did they not pay when the deposit was due but they also did not pay when the balance was due. So why wasn't the room cancelled May 2005? You notified us on June 10, 2005 that $200 cancellation fee was due per person. Why are we just now being notified? I AM NOT PAYING A CANCELLATION FEE. Had you collected the $200 deposit on the room when it was due, March 2005 you could use that but since this was not collected how were you able to keep the room in the first place? I know Carnival requires that the deposit be placed on the room in order to hold it. If you used "creative" accounting to secure the room then you are responsible for payment of the cancellation fee. These rooms should have been cancelled when you did not receive the initial deposit on the date it was due per your contract or at the latest cancelled when you did not receive the balance.

 

You can contact me at xxx-xxx-xxxx to discuss further.

 

TA wrote:

Cruiser:

 

I have the email from you telling the ABC Family to call me. Well, someone need to go in their place or they need to come up with $400.00 toward your group. On 6.16.05 Carnival will charge 50% cancellation. Either way I go some one is going to have to send me $400.00 ASAP.

 

Please advise me what you want me to do?

 

TA

----- Original Message -----

From: TA

To: Cruiser

Sent: Friday, June 10, 2005 4:08 PM

Subject: cruise

 

 

Cruiser:

 

I called to cancel the ABC Family cabin. I was informed by Carnival that they will charge a $200.00 cancellation fee per person.

 

Can you find someone to take their place and let me know by Monday, otherwise by 6/16/05 it will be 50 % of the cost of the cabin. This cabin should be canceled before 5/10/05 when final payment was due.

 

 

I look forward to hearing from you.

 

Thank you,

TA

 

 

Cynt:

 

I can try to help you.

 

My friend is the Reservations Supervisor at Carnival.

 

If you want to email me with the booking numbers, etc.. I can TRY (no promises) to see what she can do.. Since you went through a TA she may not be able to touch your reservation but she can look into what is going on , who paid what, and in regards to the "cancellation fee"

 

Betty

Bsan1221@aol.com

[dms_cruisers04]

Betty, for that you get a